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The Success Boston Initiative Brokering Model:

How Non-Profit/Higher Education Partnerships Boost College Graduation

Rates

Presented at National Partnership for Educational Access 4th Annual Conference – April 19th-20th, 2012

10:15am – 11:30am

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Introductions

Boston Private Industry Council, TERI & Bunker Hill Community College

Matthew Power-Koch, Postsecondary Transition Coach, Boston PIC provides coaching, navigation and connections to college, community and employment resources.

Miguel Colón, Education Advisor, TERI provides both city-wide and school based college access programs throughout the cities of Boston and Brockton, MA.

Melissa Holster, Director of Financial Aid, Bunker Hill Community College, Co-chair of the Success Boston financial aid team and serves as the BHCC liaison to Success Boston coaches.

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Number and Percent of College Enrollees Who Obtained a Degree 7 Years After High School Graduation

Groups

(A)College

Attendees

(B)

Graduates

(C)Graduates as %

Of Attendees

All 1,904 675 35.5

Men 813 276 33.9

Women 1,091 399 36.6

Asian 275 143 52.0

Black 884 249 28.2

Hispanic 326 78 23.9

White 366 195 53.3

Exam School 618 366 59.2

All Other School 1,286 309 24.0

Key Findings of the Report

Center for Labor Market Studies, Northeastern University & Boston Private Industry Council. 2008. Getting to the Finish Line: College Enrollment and Graduation: A 7-year Longitudinal Study of the Boston Public Schools Class of 2000. http://www.bostonpic.org/resources/getting-finish-line-seven-year-longitudinal-study-boston-public-schools-class-2000

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Mayor Menino’s Success Boston Goals

50% increase in the college graduation rate for college enrollees from Boston Public Schools’ (BPS) graduating class of 2009 52% of those who enroll will complete a 2- or 4-year

degree within six years of high school

Double the college graduation rate for college enrollees from BPS high school graduating class of 2011 70% of those who enroll will complete a 2- or 4-year

degree within six years of high school

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Success Boston Initiative Overview

Mayor's OfficeBoston Public Schools, The Boston Foundation and Non Profit Partners, Task Force of Higher Education, Private Industry, & Non-Profit Partners

Getting Ready Getting In Getting Through

Boston Public Schools:Higher Education Partners

Non-Profit College Transition Partners:ACCESSBoston Private Industry CouncilBottom LineFreedom HouseHyde Square Task ForceTERI

Key Higher Education Institutions:Bunker Hill Community CollegeRoxbury Community CollegeMassachusetts Bay Community CollegeBenjamin Franklin Institute of TechnologyUniversity of Massachusetts BostonSuffolk University

Higher Education Institutions:UMass Boston (Lead)a consortium of 37 Higher Education Institutions

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Boston Private Industry Council (PIC)The PIC is extending its high school career specialist model to help students persist in college while continuing to live in the community.  PIC postsecondary coaches help students connect to valuable campus and community resources, navigate deadlines and requirements, and balance the demands of school, life, and employment.  PIC postsecondary coaches teach life skills and help students make the connection between degree attainment and career opportunity.

TERITERI Education Advisors supports the young adults in our program to develop the self-understanding, confidence, leadership skills, and social awareness to successfully navigate their path through education and life. We use an affirming strength-based approach, involve parents as much as possible, and help students build and utilize a network of resources to sustain their ongoing achievement.

Transitional Coaching Organizations & Coaching

Philosophies

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Transitional Coaching Organizations & Coaching

Philosophies

Bottom LineBottom Line has a one-on-one, relationship-focused coaching philosophy. We provided outcomes-based support delivered by full-time staff members, which is driven by a rigorous curriculum. In-person support is central to our programs, and that is supplemented by frequent e-mail and phone communication.

Freedom House (PUSH) Preparing Urban Students for Success in Higher EducationPUSH provides holistic support to students as they transition from high school to college via a Summer Institute, On and Off Campus advising and a Mentor Network. PUSH staff guide students through the academic, financial and social realities of college.

Hyde Square Task Force (HSTF)HSTF’s mission is to develop the skills of youth and their families so they are empowered to enhance their own lives and create a safe and vibrant community. The Near-Peer approach is a leadership model where older teens serve as teachers and mentors to younger teens with a strong emphasis on personal experiences and relationships.

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Transitional Coaching

The common threads: Relationship building

o Beginning senior yearo Continues with regular meetings through

college

Navigationo Support through summer preparationo Guidance through college infrastructure

Case Managemento Assessing needso Crisis resolution

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Transitional Coaching

Who Coaches can be:

o Adults (more of a mentor role)o College students (near peer focus)

Where Coaches can build relationships with students by:

o Community-based with frequent visits to campus (external)

o Having a fixed space on campus (internal/embedded)

How Coaches can support students through:

o Brokering opportunities and serviceso Connection buildingo Modeling behaviors

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What is the Brokering Model?

Connecting students to resources on campus Financial Aid offices Student payments Academic Advising Tutoring and Academic Support Services Registration and course selection Career Services On campus student groups

Connecting students to resources off campus Financial resources – grants, scholarships, budget

management Housing Employment assistance

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Coaching / Services

Life Skills Time Management Family and home issues Career / Job counseling Personal / Professional Boundaries

Academic Skills Study Skills Schedule Management Class selection Academic Progress

Communication and Advocacy Skills Self Advocacy Problem Solving / Conflict Resolution Communication with adults and follow up Networking

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Benefits for Students

Bridges high school guidance counselors and college based supports

Summer transition assistance

Flexibility to meet student needs

Mentors that advocate and model effective behavior

Establish a culture of college completion

Goal setting, life mapping, awareness of course sequence and degree requirements

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Case Study

Gabriel joined the Success Boston Initiative in the Summer of 2011 after graduating from BPS in the Spring. “Last summer, I went to Belize on a family trip and was unable to be at Bunker Hill in person to access my Scholarship from my High School. After talking to my success Boston Coach Miguel, I was able to get in contact with my guidance counselor from high school and work with the Financial Aid and Student Payment offices at Bunker Hill to make sure my Scholarship went through.”

- Gabriel, BHCC, Class of 2013

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Bunker Hill Community College

About the College: Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) is a multi-campus urban institution located in the Charlestown section of Boston, Massachusetts.

Bunker Hill enrolls over 13,000 students in day, afternoon, evening. Late-evening, midnight, weekend and web-based and distance learning courses each semester. BHCC is the largest community college in Massachusetts.

Financial Aid at BHCC: 69% of BHCC degree seeking students apply for financial aid, and of those, 75% are eligible for a federal Pell grant.

BPS at BHCC: Over the past five years, enrollment of new Boston Public school students in the fall semester has increased from 84 to 280 (233%)

766 freshmen students (‘11-’12) are graduates of Boston Public high schools

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Outcomes

Students are better served: Students easily navigate enrollment process

High risk students are brought to administration attention sooner

Network expansion includes other organizations with similar missions: Working together in innovative ways through connections with third party organizations

Systemic change being built: Greater learning of partners through problem solving

Adjusting infrastructure of statewide organization to involve greater collaborative efforts

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Additional Success Boston Partnerships

Financial Aid Working Group: Two area-financial aid directors, ACCESS organization staff representatives, BPS , Director of College Readiness Initiatives, 10 financial aid directors and staff from Boston-area institutions

Goal: Standardize the ways in which institutions communicate their costs and financial aid awards to BPS graduates and other students.

1. Financial Aid Liaison Created to have a staff member designated as a point-person

for BPS students and graduates, BPS high school counselors, and nonprofits helping students plan for college

Designed to build consistency in information and contribute to overall retention efforts

2. Award Letter Supplement Created to assist students in understanding award letter

terminology and comparing out-of-pocket costs at multiple institutions

Shares internal and external resources to support students making college financial decisions

Designed to build consistency in information and contribute to enrollment and lower default rates

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Outcomes of Financial Aid Working Group

Financial Aid Liaison Position: 25 campus representatives committed for 2012-2013 award

year Collaborated with BPS, ACCESS on district-wide roll out plan Ongoing professional development Potential benefits

• Award Letter Companion: 9 campuses committed for 2012-2013 award year Initial student experiences Overlap and collaboration with federal initiatives Potential impact

o Coaches analyzes award letters with 1500+ BPS seniorso 100-200 applicants to BHCC

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Benefits for Non-Profits

Maximizes resources and collaboration

Identification of best practices, common tools and strategies

On campus relationships

Visibility and familiarity

Complimentary expertise

Referral of students and parents to the non-profits’ community-based services

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We measure Progress (accumulation of credits toward a degree), Performance (GPA), and Persistence (re-enrollment).

Success Boston Results (as of 4/2/12)

Cohort I (Class of 2009)

Cohort II (Class of

2010)

Cohort III(Class of

2011)

Number of students in Cohort 282 288 308

Enrolled in semester 1 98% 97% 97%

Enrolled in Semester 2 94% 86% 94% Re-enroll in a 3rd

semester 85% * 82%** TBD

Cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher 77% 80% 83%

On track to earn a degree in time and a half (as measured by credits earned toward

a degree each semester)

35% 39% 43% *Based on Fall enrollees; according to the National Student Clearinghouse the rate is 87%. ** % based on

Fall enrollees only.

Data from first 3 Cohorts

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Case Study

Aldwayne and Delroy Demontegnac are two brothers who joined the Success Boston Initiative in the Summer of 2011 after graduating from BPS in the Spring. “We know what we have to do, but it helps to have a Coach, like Mr. PK, to keep us on track, and check-in on us to make sure we are successful.” - Aldwayne and Delroy – BHCC Class of 2013

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Discussion

Q & A